Dispensing apparatus for



R. J. JENKINS ET AL DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR GARBONATED BEVERAGES Feb. 8, 1938.

Fi i\ed Feb. 12, 1936 Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR CARBDNATED BEVERAGES Maryland Application February 12, 1936, Serial No. 63,624

2 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in dispensing apparatus for car bonated beverages; the object of our invention being to provide a device for the conversion of the undesirable low pressure coil dispensing systems to the desirable high pressure method, a storage and control tank being employed which can be easily installed in connection with the conventional cooling coil without changing the construction in any way, thereby providing a dispensing system with an increased capacity for cooling and maintaining a substantially larger volume of beverage under refrigeration without increasing the size of the refrigerating means, said beverage being dispensed under high pressure Without waste.

Another object of our invention is to provide a very simple and inexpensive liquid flow control for use in combination with cooling coils for the dispensing without loss of beer and other carbonated beverages that depend on the retention of the carbonic gas content for palatability and wholesomeness.

Another object of our invention is to provide a flow control for use in combination with cooling coils whereby beer and other carbonated beverages may be dispensed economically and satisfactorily under high pressure which is desirable but impossible of accomplishment under present practice where cooling coils are used for the refrigeration of the beverage passing through the same.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a storage and control tank of a construction whereby after the coils and tank are manually vented, when liquid is turned into same, no further venting is necessary during the period of dispensing as a solid column of liquid exists between the container from which the liquid under pressure is being withdrawn and the dispensing faucet, thereby overcoming the difficulties existing where storage tanks with venting valves are employed that depend on pressure of the liquid in the tank to keep the valve closed.

An additional object of our invention is to provide a beverage flow control in combination with cooling coils whereby a volume of liquid under refrigeration is materially increased without increasing the size of the existing coil cabinet, thus allowing for the more rapid dispensing of properly chilled beverages without additional expense for larger coil cabinet, special faucets or other than ordinary equipment found where carbonated beverages under pressure are being dispensed.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure l is a side elevation of a dispensing apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention, showing the refrigerating chamber in section;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing our improved construction of storage and control tank detached from the coil connected to the dispensing faucet; and

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a beer keg or container with the beer rod disposed therein with a strainer for straining the beer in its passage to the cooling coils and storage tank.

In the embodiment of our invention as herein shown, i indicates a cabinet which is provided with a refrigerating chamber 2 in which is disposed a cooling coil 3 which is herein shown cooled by ice but it is to be clearly understood that we do not wish to limit our invention to the cooling of the coil by ice as the same can be cooled by other mechanical refrigerating means now common in use, the above description being given so that the operation of our improved construction of dispensing apparatus can be clearly understood.

Our invention consists in providing a storage and control tank' i herein shown cylindrical and of such a size that it can be readily inserted within the conventional type of cooling coil 3 without changing the construction in any way. 1

The tank is provided with a removable cover 5 in order to allow the cover to be removed for cleaning the tank when desired and while we have shown a particular construction of cover, we do not wish to limit ourselves to any particular construction as We are aware that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of our invention.

The cover is provided with an inlet nipple 6 to which is connected the outlet 1 of the coil 3 by coupling member 8 as clearly shown whereby the same can be readily connected or disconnected to the coil in order to allow it to be inserted or removed.

The storage and control tank 4 is provided with a valve controlled vent 9 in order to allow the coils and storage and control tank to be vented when the same is connected to a source of supply under pressure.

The bottom of the tank is provided with an outlet nipple IU of a smaller size than the inlet nipple B and to which is connected a coil II by a coupling l2, said coil having an extension l3 which extends through the wall of the cooling chamber 2 and has connected thereto a dispensing faucet l4 through which the beer or carbonated beverage is dispensed.

The inlet l5 of the coil 3 is connected by a coupling it to a pipe I'l leading from the source of supply. The end of the pipe I! is connected'to the top of a beer rod 18 of the standard construction by a coupling l9 and said coupling carries a strainer 20 so that the beer is strained. The beer rod is disposed within a container, such as a barrel 2|, and the beer rod l8 has a pipe 22 connected thereto leading from a source of supply through which carbonic gas or compressed air is forced under pressure on top of the beverage in the container and by the particular construction shown herein, this pressure is maintained on the beverage until the contents of the container as well as that portion transferred to coils and storage and control tank is completely exhausted. During the dispensing of the beverage, the gases therein have been kept in solution in the beverage and not wasted as is customary in dispensing beer and carbonated beverages where coils are used as at present and the storage and control tank with outlet substantially smaller than inlet, which is disposed within the cooling coils not only maintains a solid column of liquid from the source of supply to the faucet, but adds materially to the more rapid dispensing of satisfactorily refrigerated liquid due to its providing substantially large liquid storage. 7 We have found in practice that by initially employing a pressure of approximately twenty pounds and imaintaining this pressure on beer and carbonated beverages, the beverage does not deteriorate in quality as is customary where these carbonated beverages are dispensed as at present with coils, which due to construction, forces the loss of a substantially large portion of the carbonic gas before the beverage can be satisfactorily drafted. Once the gas is lost, the quality of the beverage becomes poor and in certain unpasteurized beverages in this condition are not fit for consumption.

With an apparatus as herein shown and described connected to the source of supply, the valved controlled vent is opened so as to allow the air to escape from the coil and storage and control tank as the liquid from the source of supply is forced therethrough and after the coil pipes of the tank have been filled with liquid, the valve is closed and a solid column of liquid is maintained under high pressure from the source of supply to the dispensing faucet until the entire contents of the beer or carbonated beverage from the barrel or the like has been dispensed.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that we have provided a very simple dispensing apparatus which is in reality an attachment to the conventional type of dispensing apparatus now in use and to install our apparatus in this conventional type, it is only. necessary to disconnect the outlet of the conventional type of coil and connect the same to our storage and control tank and connect the feed pipe leading from the storage and control tank to the present faucet. The device cannot only be installed in the conventional type of cooling coil now in use, but after being installed, it can be readily removed in order to allow it to be cleaned.

Our invention consists broadly in providing a storage and control tank for a dispensing apparatus'for carbonated beverages whereby a low pressure system of dispensing carbonated beverages through the cooling coil can be converted into a high pressure system of dispensing carb onated beverages Without automatic venting valves, thereby providing a dispensing apparatus which has many advantages over systems which use venting valves to allow a predetermined pressure to hold the valves closed.

By the use of storage and control tank in combination with coils, we are able to use a strainer in the system without affecting the quality of beverage being dispensed and at the same time increasing the speed of draw due to high pressure in an apparatus of greater capacity.

What we claim is:

1. In a dispensing and cooling apparatus for carbonated beverages, the combination with a refrigerating chamber having acooling coil disposed therein, of a source of liquid supply connected to said cooling coil, a removable storage and control tank disposed within said cooling coil adapted to be maintained full of the beverage to be dispensed and having a connection at its upper end with the outlet of said cooling coil, an outlet at the bottom of said storage and control tank of a smaller diameter than the inlet to said tank, a pipe having a coil connected to said outlet and a faucet connected to said pipe.

2. In an apparatus for dispensing and cooling carbonated beverages, a container for the beverage, a cooling chamber disposed in a plane above said container, a coil disposed in said chamber, a storage and control tank disposed within said coil having an inlet at its upper end and an outlet at the bottom thereof of a smaller diameter than the inlet of said tank, a faucet disposed outside of said cooling chamber, a pipe having a coil connecting said faucet to the outlet of said tank and means for subjecting the beverage in the container to a pressure sufficient to maintain the carbonic acid gas in the absorbed state and to cause the beverage to flow therefrom in a solid column through said coil and tank to the faucet.

' RAYMOND J. JENKINS.

CHRISTIAN J. ADDICKS. 

